Ski clamp

ABSTRACT

THE CLAMP IS ONE-PIECE MEMBER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF A U-SHAPED STRUCTURE HAVING UPRIGHT ARMS. THE ARMS ARE ADAPTED TO EMBRACE A PAIR OF SKIS. THE ARMS EXTEND UPWARD ABOVE THE SKIS AND DEFINE FIRST AND SECOND EXPOSED RECESSES OR CHANNELS FOR THE RECEPTION AND RETAINED ENGAGEMENT OF A PAIR OF SKI POLES SO THAT INSERTION OF A SKI POLE LOCKS THE ARMS AROUND THE SKIS.

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SKI CLAMP Filed May 9, 1969 INVI5N'I()R.S 652040 6. CLODFELTEE 65201.0 HPAQQQICK, M Mom mu P; MOPSHflLL,\T2

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United States Patent 3,564,667 SKI CLAMP Gerald H. Parrick III, LosAngeles, Calif. (5424 Corteen Place, North Holywood, Calif. 91607);Gerald G. Clodfelter, Los Angeles, Calif. (4657 Kraft Ave., NorthHollywood, Calif. 91602); and Norman P. Marshall, In, Los Angeles,Calif. (18407 Dearborn St., Northridge, Calif. 91324) Filed May 9, 1969,Ser. No. 823,398 Int. Cl. A44b 21/00 US. Cl. 24-81 18 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE The clamp is a one-piece member of resilient material inthe form of a U-shaped structure having upright arms. The arms areadapted to embrace a pair of skis. The arms extend upward above the skisand define first and second exposed recesses or channels for thereception and retained engagement of a pair of ski poles so thatinsertion of a ski pole locks the arms around the skis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION '(1) Field of the invention This inventionis directed to a ski clamp and, particu larly, a ski clamp which isformed of one piece of resilient material for the retention of a pair ofskis and a pair of ski poles.

(2) Description of the prior art Skis and poles are difficult totransport. It is almost impossible to carry a pair of skis and a pair ofpoles in one hand or over one shoulder because they have a tendency tocome apart and slide around. They are an unkempt bundle of sticks unlessthey are properly retained by clamping them or strapping them together.Straps work very well for simply a pair of skis, but even straps are notfully satisfactory because the straps can slide ofi, at least at the,back ends of the skis. Accordingly, clamps have been found necessary.Prior clamps have not placed the skis and poles into a rigid assemblyfrom which they could be readily removed when desired. Instead, in mostcases, prior structures have comprised a clamp for the skis, togetherwith a loose assemblage for loose retention of the ski poles. Thus, theprimary need for a totally rigid assembly has not been met. Other priordevices have clamped both a pair of skis and a pair of poles, but onlywith considerable complexity and weight. Since the assembly is to behand-carried primarily, it is necessary that the assembly be as light aspossible. Additionally, it should be easy to use without any wing nutsor clamping handles to snag on the clothing when the assembly is beingcarried. Furthermore, it is clear that the clamps for such an assemblymust be light so that they do not contribute significantly to the totalweight of the assembly when it is being hand-carried. Some of the priordevices employ complex clamping structures, including thumb screws andover-the-center lever action devices. Such structures are unnecessarilycomplex and weighty and thus do not fully meet the requirements for agood ski clamp. Accordingly, there is need for a ski clamp which iseasily applied, light of weight, simple in construction, and inexpensiveto manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, thereis provided a ski clamp comprising a unitary resilient structure havingfirst and second substantially parallel arms. These ice arms are joinedat the bottom and, at the top, have opposed recesses for reception ofski poles. The resilient clamp arms embrace a pair of skis and areresiliently bent past each other to embrace a first ski pole. Thus, thefirst ski pole serves as a lock member for holding the arms against theskis. Preferably, there is a second pair of opposed recesses facingoppositely to the first, with the second recesses being adapted to carrya second ski pole with the arms again crossed over into the initialpositioning whereby the first ski pole again serves to lock the armsinto resilient engagement about the second ski pole. When thusassembled, the skis and ski poles are disposed in rigid parallelalignment with each other. The bottom of the clamp is formed tounitarily provide a hanging loop whereby the entire assemblage can beremov ably mounted as upon a wall.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a ski clampwhich rigidly and demountably forms an assembly of a plurality of skisand ski poles. It is another object to provide a ski clamp of resilientconstruction which is adapted to embrace a pair of skis, and to employ aski pole as a lock to retain the ski clamp against the skis. It is afurther object to provide a resilient ski clamp having first and secondarms which are adapted to embrace and engage a pair of skis, with thearms extending upward beyond the skis, the upward portions of the armshaving first and second pairs of opposed recesses for engagement on theski poles. It is a further object to provide a unitary resilient skiclamp which is adapted to retain a pair of skis together with its pairof poles in a demountable assembly for hand transportation and also toserve as a means by which the skis and poles can be detachablywall-mounted.

Still other objects, features and attendant advantages of the presentinvention, together with various modifications, will become apparent tothose skilled in the art from a reading of the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment constructed in accordancetherewith, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings whereinlike numerals designate like parts in the several figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of pairsof skis and ski poles in assembled relationship by means of a pair ofthe inventive clamps;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the clamps in a relaxedcondition;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the clamp, with the skis and poles insection as seen along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the pole clip portion of theclamp as seen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the pole clipportion of the clamp in its relaxed posi tion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is similar in aspect to FIG. 4 and shows a clamp with a pair ofskis and one pole therein in solid lines, with broken lines illustratingthe configuration of the clamp as the first pole is inserted;

FIG. 7 is a view, similar in aspect to FIG. 6, showing the clamp withthe first and second poles engaged therein in solid lines, with brokenlines illustrating the configura tion of the clamp as the second pole isinserted;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the upper portion ofthe clamp;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the clamp in its relaxed position; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the wall bracket employed With theclamp to provide wall support for the clamped assembly of skis andpoles.

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, andinitially to FIG. 1, a pair of the inventive clamps are indicatedgenerally at in clamping engagement with respective pairs of skis andski poles indicated generally at 12 and 14. In their illustratedassembled position each of the articles is securely mounted relative toeach of the others by means of the clamps 10 and are arranged such thatthere is adequate clearance between the poles 14 and skis 12 whereby theskier may readily insert his hand, indicated generally in phantom linesat 16, therebetween for grasping either the skis 12 or the poles 14 forcarrying the entire assemblage in either the horizontal positionillustrated or any other convenient angle or orientation.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 5, 8 and 9 in particular, wherein the clamp 10 isseen in its completely relaxed position, it is seen that the clamp is aone-piece member. Preferably, the clamp 10 is composed of a resilientplastic material and is unitarily molded; alternatively, it may becomposed of spring steel and formed from a single strip of metal whichpreferably is covered with a protective coating such as rubber, plasticor the like. The clamp 10 comprises a bottom portion 18 having first andsecond stops and 22 against which the skis lie, and U-shaped connector24. Upright arms 26 and 28 extend from opposite ends of the bottomportion 18 in parallel with each other and spaced to provide a U-shapedchannel for retained reception of a pair of skis. Each of the armportions 26 and 28 is provided with a clip portion indicated generallyat and 32, respectively, for providing a pair of tubular channels forreception and retained engage ment of a pair of ski poles in respectiveones of such tubular channels. In the relaxed position illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 9, the clips 30 and 32 are a substantially open continuationof arms 26 and 28 so that the pair of skis may be inserted easily pastthe clip portions 30 and 32 into the U-shaped channel defined by thebottom 18 and arm portions 26 and 28. As best seen in FIG. 3, the U-shaped channel becomes closed and arms 26 and 28 are in tight squeezingengagement with skis 12 when the ski poles 14 are engaged by the clipportion. In this situation, the respective upper portions 26' and 28 orarms 26 and 28 are resiliently bent in the spatial region above the skis12.

In order to assist in providing the necessary resiliency to embrace thepair of skis between arms 26 and 28, bottom 18 itself is formed with aU-shaped connector 24 extending beyond stops 20 and 22, as is seen inFIGS. 2 and 3. This provides lateral resiliency at the bottom of thearms, while each of the stops provides a bottom resting place for arespective one of the skis. The remaining open channel defined byconnector 24 provides a loop which can be employed to hook the clamp andthe skis carried thereby on a suitable bracket, as is hereinafterdescribed. Thus, the stops 20 and 22, together with the U-shapedconnector 24 extending therebelow, perform several functions includingprovision of lateral resiliency and expansion for clamping engagement ofskis having different thicknesses and provision of a hanging engagementloop.

The clip portions 30 and 32 of arms 26 and 28 extend upward from thefull width portions of the arms. The clips 30 and 32 are of reducedwidth, approximately half the width of the main portions of the arms,having setbacks 34 and 35, respectively, to permit the clip portions ofthe arms to pass each other.

As seen in FIG. 5, clips 30 and 32 are respectively provided withopposed, oppositely facing arcuate recess portions 36 and 38 which formthe first or lower recesses. In the relaxed condition illustrated, theserecesses face away from each other and face outwardly with respect tothe channel which the arms 26 and 28 form. Recess portions 36 and 38 aresubstantially semicylindrical, and

4 are formed to recess inwardly from the straight upper portions 26 and28' of the arms 26 and 28.

Additionally, clips 30 and 32 respectively are formed to provide arcuaterecess portions 40 and 42 which again face in opposed directions. Inthis case, the recess portions 40 and 42 face each other and again eachforms a. substantially semicylindrical recess. Recess portions 36 and40, and recess portions 38 and 42, are connected together by means ofrespective straight sections 44 and 46 which are tangent to theirrespective arcuately reversed portions, whereby each of the clipportions 30 and 32 is substantially S-shaped, albeit reversed from eachother. Each of the clip portions 30 and 32 is terminated by a respectivetab or guide flange 48 and 50 oriented at an outwardly flaring angle.

When skis and poles are to be carried, a pair of clamps 10 is employed.When unoccupied, the arms 26 and 28 of each of the clamps 10 standsubstantially parallel to the other to provide an open channel intowhich a pair of skis can be inserted. The entire clamp structure is madeof resilient, springy material, such as a plastic or spring steel band,and thus the U-shaped channel bottom 24 provides resilient expandabilityso that the two arms 26 and 28 accommodate all ski thicknesses and canlie in contact with the skis along the entire width of the skis, asshown in FIG. 3. In order to maintain this embracing position, the upperportions of arms 26 and 28, above the skis 12, are bent to assume anupwardly converging attitude or position, such upper portions beingindicated in FIG. 3 at 26' and 28'.

:Recess portions 36 and 38 are employed to embrace the lower pole 52 ofthe pair of poles 14. In order to place the first or lower pole 52 inposition, the clips 30 and 32 are manually forcibly moved past eachother to the broken line position shown in FIG. 6. In this position, theconcave sides of arcuate recess portions 36 and 38 now face each otherfor reception of ski pole 52, and arcuate recess portions 40 and 42 havebeen moved past each other sufiiciently such that the minimum clearancedistance between their convex sides is at least as great as the polediameter; thus, a channel is open between the two clip portions 30 and32 so that the lower pole 52 can be inserted therebetween fordisposition between portions 36 and 38. Now, when the spreading force isremoved from the clips 30 and 32, the resiliency of the clamp causes theclips to spring back into their normal position for this load condition,as shown in the full line position of FIG. 6, to lock the skis and pole52 in place.

Now the arcuate recess portions 40 and 42 have their concave sidesfacing each other again but, unlike in the fully relaxed position ofFIG. 5, are in the juxtaposed osition of FIG. 6 and ready to receive thesecond pole 54. It is to be noted that the arms, and the clips thereon,are crossed over manually for the placement of the first pole, and theupper portions 40 and 42 are crossed over again by return spring actionso that they are on their original sides for the placement of the secondpole 54. Referring to FIG. 7, the guide flanges 48 and 50 are spreadapart to the broken line position for the insertion of second pole 54.They may be spread apart from the full line position of FIG. 6 to thebroken line position of FIG. 7 simply by the pressing down of the pole54 against the guide flanges. Thus, the pole 54 simply snaps into place.Now, the parts are in the position shown in full lines in FIG. 7, and inthe relationship as they are shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Thus, the skisand poles are clamped together by means of the clamps 10 into unitarystructural assembly ready for carrying or storage.

Carrying is accomplished, as previously described, by manually graspingone or both of the poles. This is the most convenient and comfortableway of carrying, although the skis themselves can be grasped instead, ifdesired. It now should be clear that removal of the poles and skis fromclamped engagement is accomplished in the opposite or reverse mannerfrom their assembly as described above.

Additionally, hook 56 consists of an apertured backplate 58 which issecurable to a wall or other location, and a hook member 60 which may bepunched from and extends out of the backplate. Hook member 60 is of suchdimensions as to fit into the U-shaped extension channel 24 on bottom 18of the clamp so that, when the hook is secured to a wall, the clamps canbe hung therefrom, thereby suspending the skis and poles secured in theclamps. Thus, the skis may be easily transported and easily stored whenclamps are employed.

As far as specific dimensions are concerned, the average ski width isbetween 3 /8 inches and 3% inches, with a maximum of about 3 /2 inches.Since the distance between stop and setback 34 should be about 4 inchlonger than the maximum ski width to provide for adequate resiliency anddisplacement of the clip portions, this dimension preferably is about 4%inches. Additionally, the channel 24 of bottom 18, below stops 20 and22, should be about /1 inch deep in order to provide both the desiredexpansion resiliency between arms 26 and 28 and also an adequate hookspace for hook member 60. Ski poles vary or taper in diameter from about/2 inch to inch. In view of the fact that the maximum diameter must beaccommodated, and a slightly smaller diameter should not cause releaseof clamping tension, the pole recesses are of such dimension as toprovide effectively cylindrical surface or tubular channels havingnominal diameters of about /2 inch. Thus, exemplary dimensions are givenbut it is clear that the dimensions can be varied to meet specificdimensional requirements.

It will be noted that, due to the crossover reversal of the clipportions 30 and 32 for defining the respective pole-receiving tubularchannels, the first pole 52 received by its channel-defining recessportions 36 and 38 acts as a tension lock for both the skis and, wheninserted, the second pole 54. Such function is achieved via Springtensioning of arms 26 and 28, for the skis, and portions 40 and 42 forthe second pole 54, since the spread or spatial separation of portions36 and 3-8 occasioned by the reception therein of the first pole 52tends to reduce the nominal dimensions of the skis-receiving U-shapedchannel and second pole-receiving tubular channel afforded by arms 26and 28 and recess portions 40 and 42 respectively, such reduction beingphysically prevented by the skis 12 and pole 54 located within theirrespective channels. In this connection, it will be noted further thatthe insertion of the second pole 54 increases the clamping tension ofportions 36 and 38 about the first pole 52, thus rendering it immaterialwhether ski poles 14 (see FIG. 1) are tapered or right cylinders, orarranged head-to-toe as illustrated or otherwise.

While the drafting convention employed in the illustrated sections ofthe skis and poles indicates plastic materials, it is clear that thematerials of which the skis and poles are composed is immaterial to thepresent invention.

This invention having been described in its preferred embodiment, it isclear that it is susceptible of numerous modifications and embodimentswithin the ability of those skilled in the art and without the exerciseof the inventive faculty.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski clamp adapted to carry a pair of skis and at least one ski polein clamped parallel relatitonship, comprising:

first and second arms joined to a bottom and extending therefrom insubstantially parallel relationship, said arms being adapted to embracea pair of skis therebetween, the interior walls of said arms havingrespective aligned shoulder portions acting as first and second stopsfor the skis; and

first and second clips extending from the respective ends of said firstand second arms away from said bottom, said clips each having anoutwardly facing recess;

said arms and clips being composed of resilient material and formed in aconfiguration such that, when in the unstressed condition, said arms aresubstantially parallel to each other and said recesses are disposed insubstantially back-to-back spaced relationship to define a U-shapedchannel for receiving a pair of skis between said arms and adjacent saidbottom, and said clips are resiliently bendable past each other wherebysaid recesses are disposed in faceto-face relationship to define atubular channel for receiving a ski pole therebetween whereby said armsclamp said skis and said recesses clamp said ski pole.

2. The clamp of claim 1 wherein:

said bottom is integrally formed with said arms; and

said bottom comprises said first and second stops adjacent said arms,and a bottom channel between said stops, said bottom channel having itsbottom spaced from said arms and said stops, and said stops beinglocated to act as stops for skis positioned between said arms.

3. The clamp of claim 1 wherein: said clamp is formed as a unitarystructure.

4. The clamp of claim 3 wherein: said clamp is composed of a plasticmaterial.

5. The clamp of claim 3 wherein: said clamp is formed from asubstantially rectangular band of spring metal material.

6. A ski clamp adapted to carry a pair of skis and at least one ski polein clamped parallel relationship, comprising:

first and second arms joined to a bottom and extending therefrom insubstantially parallel relatitonship, said arms being adapted to embracea pair of skis therebetween; and

first and second clips extending from the respective ends of said firstand second arms away from said bottom, said clips each having anoutwardly facing recess;

said arms and said clips being composed of resilient material and formedin a configuration such that, when in the unstressed condition, saidarms are substantially parallel to each other and said recesses aredisposed in substantially back-to-back spaced relationship to define aU-shaped channel for receiving a pair of skis between said arms andadjacent said bottom, said bottom including at least one flat surfaceacting as a stop for the skis, and said clips are resiliently bendablepast each other whereby said recesses are disposed in face-to-facerelationship to define a tubular channel for receiving a ski poletherebetween whereby said arms clamp said skis and said recesses clampsaid ski pole;

said clips being of less width than said arms;

each of said arms terminating at a respective setback;

and

said clips extending beyond said setbacks whereby said clips pass eachother when said arms are resiliently deflected toward each other.

7. The clamp of claim 6 wherein:

said recesses comprise a first pair of recesses defining a first tubularchannel; and

said clips each comprise a respective one of a second pair of recesses,said recesses of said second pair of recesses facing each other anddefining a second tubular channel for receiving and clamping a secondski pole.

8. The clamp of claim 7 wherein: said clamp is formed as a unitarystructure.

9. The clamp of claim 8 wherein: said clamp is com- 7 5 posed of aplastic material 10. The clamp of claim 8 wherein: said clamp is formedfrom a substantially rectangular band of spring metal material.

11. The clamp of claim 7 comprising: guide flanges extending from theends of said clips beyond said second recesses so that, when a first skipole is positioned in said first recesses, a second ski pole can bepressed against said guide flanges to spring said second recesses openfor receiving a second ski pole.

12. The c1amp of claim 11 wherein: said clamp is formed as a unitarystructure.

13. The clamp of claim 12 wherein: said clamp is composed of a plasticmaterial.

14. The clamp of claim 12 wherein: said clamp is formed from asubstantially rectangular band of spring metal material.

15. The clamp of claim 11 wherein:

said bottom is integrally formed with said arms; and

said bottom comprises first and second stops adjacent said arms, and abottom channel between said stops, said bottom channel having its bottomspaced from said arms and said stops, and said stops being located toact as stops for skis positioned between said arms.

16. The clamp of claim 15 wherein: said clamp is formed as a unitarystructure.

17. The clamp of claim 16 wherein: said clamp is composed of a plasticmaterial.

18. The clamp of claim 16 wherein: said clamp is formed from asubstantially rectangular band of spring metal material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BERNARD A. GELAK, PrimaryExaminer

